Parents, Teachers Union sharing their thoughts on passage of so-called ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill

The so-called ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill is a signature from Governor Ron DeSantis away from becoming law.

The different sides of the argument are split over whether to ban lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity for young children in public schools.

Despite the protests, walkouts, and national debates, the Parental Rights in Education bill, better known as the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, is headed to the governor’s desk and will likely become law. Is that a good or bad thing? It depends on which parents you ask.

“I want and hope that I’d be able to send my daughter to school in a safe space and inclusive environment, and this bill effectively prevents that from happening,” said Callhan Soldavini, a parent and member of the board of directors for Naples Pride.

“I think that these conversation items or topics if you will, meant to be with parents or, you know, the family core as it is instead of having these discussions at school,” said Collier County mom Sammi Treglown.

The bill bans any instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity that is not age-appropriate for students according to state standards. For grades K-3, the bill bans instruction on those topics altogether.

Andrew Spar leads Florida’s largest teacher’s union. He said the bill addresses a problem that doesn’t exist. “We don’t teach sex education in elementary school at all. We don’t lead discussions and have conversations around sex education or gender identity,” said Florida Education Association President Andrew Spar. “This bill is a distraction in some respects, but it also has an effect on teachers feeling like they can’t do what they need to to care for and love every child, and that is what will drive teachers out of the profession more than anything else.”

Spar said another thing that might drive teachers out of the profession is the threat of legal action. The bill allows parents to sue school districts they feel teachers violate the measure. “You could end up in a situation where you have parents who are just unhappy who are suing school districts. I hope it doesn’t happen, but it certainly opens the door to that,” said Spar.

The bill does not ban everything surrounding gender identity and sexual orientation. Two weeks ago, one of the bill’s sponsors said books about the topics would still be allowed in school libraries. Conversations or essays from students with LGBTQ family members would also be allowed in class, but only if there is no instruction.